End of Summer.

Today is Jonah's first day of first grade!

EGADS!

I can't believe it.  He got on the bus today all by himself.  I didn't cry, but I was close!  Maeryn kept me in check with her various demands.

He picked dandelions for the bus driver.  I handed out all the allergy stuff to everyone (teachers, admins., bus driver) and sent a reminder email to the headmaster at the school about the protocol for using his EpiPen.  He is carrying it with him in his backpack this year, and I am GLAD.  He knows how and when to use it and I trust him completely.

I miss having him at home, but I know this is what he wants, and he ADORES friends, and that is what he is most looking forward to...  though I heard him upstairs practicing reading in his bed last night.

I'm sad that summer is ending.

Last week we took a last SAHM day-trip to the local beach.  It was so much fun.  We stayed for four hours picnicking, watching crabs crawl along the bottom of the river, chasing HUGE schools of fish, and turning over rocks to see what we could see.  It may have been the most fun I had all summer.  I also got to run a lot.

I've been reading Born to Run and I've learned that "we don't stop running because we get old.  We get old because we stop running!", and I've tried to run when the kids run.  You know what?  It makes life a whole lot more exciting.  EVERYTHING becomes an adventure!

Oh!  Yesterday I made my first pot of chili of the season.  I call it:  End of Summer Chili.  You can find the recipe here.